The offensive line was considered the Wildcats’ strength entering the season. Yes, four-year starter Jon Toth was gone at center. Yes, fifth-year senior left tackle Cole Mosier is out for the season at left tackle.

But there was supposed to be enough depth and talent remaining that the line would continue to pave the way for a vaunted rushing attack.

Not so fast.

“You’d like to think you’re going to pick right back up where you left off — or be even better — but it’s new bodies,” UK offensive line coach John Schlarman said. “...But you know, these guys are going to be fine.”

Kentucky has started two different players at center – junior Bunchy Stallings and senior Nick Haynes – through two games after Toth started the previous 48 consecutive games at that position.

Both Stallings, who has missed time with an ankle injury, and Haynes, a converted offensive guard, have struggled snapping the ball at times in the season’s first two games.

“You don’t see it as much in practice, so you don’t think it’s an issue,” UK coach Mark Stoops said. “Then you get out there, all the situations are different…You get a little anxious maybe. Yeah, it hurt us.”

Against Eastern Kentucky, Haynes started at center and spent the majority of the game there. Stallings’ primary role came at right guard.

Facing fourth-and-one at the EKU 35-yard line in the first quarter Saturday, a high snap from Haynes derailed Kentucky’s attempt at a conversion from running back Benny Snell out of the “wildcat” formation.

Several of the high snaps from Stallings and Haynes have come in “wildcat” plays with a running back lined up to receive the ball, but Schlarman was quick to note the snaps have not always been consistent when quarterback Stephen Johnson lines up in the shotgun either.

“Either way, we can’t have that,” Schlarman said. “He knows that, and he’ll get it fixed.”

Haynes spent extra time after practice between the Southern Miss and EKU games practicing his snaps, offensive coordinator Eddie Gran said, but the problem returned against the Colonels.

After spending most of his UK career at offensive guard, and even playing some tackle at times, Haynes said he remains confident additional reps will eventually correct the snapping problem.

“It’s not as easy as it looks,” he said. “I’m trying everything. I got about 50-60 snaps in that game and only two were bad, so need to get that down to zero.”

Gran would not commit to Haynes being the primary center moving forward until after evaluating film of the 27-16 win over EKU, but after dropping weight to around 260 pounds this offseason while dealing with Type 1 diabetes the fifth-year senior may be best suited for that position where his strong technique can make a larger impact.

Stallings was recruited as a center but thrived at guard last season and could play there again.

Redshirt freshman Drake Jackson, a former U.S. Army All-American recruit, is listed as the third-team center but is still waiting for his first chance at the position in games. Jackson and the rest of UK’s backup linemen still need to prove worthy of a larger role in games, Schlarman said.

“I think they’re getting better,” he said. “You get into tight games and you’d like to play more bodies. It just didn’t happen today. We’ll see where it goes from here, but I think those guys are doing some things in practice. They’ve just got to continue to develop and grow, and that’s not any different from any young lineman.”

Kentucky’s offensive line did show progress in week two by helping block for more than 207 rushing yards, but as coaches opened the throwing game pass protection became an issue with three sacks allowed and several other plays where quarterback Stephen Johnson had to scramble away from pressure.

Schlarman was quick to note the offensive line also struggled early last season – Kentucky averaged 95 rushing yards and 4.5 sacks allowed in the first two games – before eventually blossoming into a group picked a semifinalist for college football’s best offensive line.

“I feel like we’re creating an identity a little bit earlier,” Schlarman said. “Last year was more or less Game 3 before that came to fruition. Today, I felt like we did a lot better in the run game.”

With more talented Southeastern Conference opponents on the horizon, further progress from the line rests on fixing the snapping issue and improving pass protection.

UK coaches acknowledged the clock is ticking.

“We’ve got to find our best five (linemen) first,” Gran said. “Fast.”

Email Jon Hale at jahale@courier-journal.com. Follow him on Twitter @JonHale_CJ.